The Secret Language of Love: A Visual Treasury of Love Through the AgesThe perfect Valentine, this compendium of passion, romance, and desire throughout the ages is packed with a treasure trove of literature, poetry, specially commissioned illustrations, and world-famous works of art ranging from Klimt's Kiss to Manet's Olympia. The lively text explores such classic and provocative themes as eternal love, the definition of beauty, the chemistry of attraction, and the connection between love and sex. From the mythical passions of Greek gods to the discreet romantic practices of Victorian England, this lavish volume traces through the ages the paradigms of love that color our feelings, desires, and fantasies today. Comprehensive sections on signposts of romance, such as the kiss, the courtship, and the wedding, round out the book, making The Secret Language of Love an original and sensuous celebration of the most intense and joyous emotion in our lives. |
Contents
INTRODUCTION | 9 |
THE ANATOMY OF LOVE | 23 |
The Longing for Union | 29 |
Portfolio | 44 |
Love and Friendship | 51 |
Love and Loneliness | 59 |
DIMENSIONS OF THE HEART | 67 |
Loves Hesitations | 74 |
ARCHETYPES OF LOVE | 157 |
Love and Magic | 165 |
The Courtesan | 172 |
The Virgin and the Unicorn | 179 |
The Prisoner in the Tower | 189 |
The Wanderer | 209 |
The Devourer | 218 |
The Broken | 224 |
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Common terms and phrases
19th century Abélard adored Alain de Botton Albert Museum allegory ancient Aphrodite archetype Arthur Waley beauty Bridgeman Art Library British Library Broken Vow Cambridge Carcanet Press Ltd celebrated couple courtesans courtly love courtship Cupid dance death depicts Don Juan Dorothy Parker Emma Turpin emotional enduring Eric Gill Eros erotic love Estate of Eric eyes fairytales falling in love feel female flirtation flowers garden goddess of love Greek heart ideal Indian miniature keepsakes kiss lady London BAL Love-Death love's magical male marriage married medieval metaphor Michael Hamburger mirror modern Musée mythology myths Narcissus National Gallery NINA CASSIAN novel obstacles Paris BAL passion poetry Private Collection BAL quarrels relationship reprinted by permission ring romantic love rose sensual sexual Shakespeare's songs story symbol temptress tower tradition unicorn Venus Victoria & Albert Virgin W. B. Yeats W.H. Davies Wanderer wedding Willis Barnstone women World Well Lost wrote Wuthering Heights